The present invention relates generally to bicycles and, more particularly, to a quick release assembly for securing a wheel to a bicycle that includes a handle that cooperates with the axle in any number of positions to allow “clocking” of the handle of the quick-release assembly relative to the axle.
Traditionally, the wheels of a bicycle are secured to the frame via an axle or skewer rod that passes through a hub of the wheel and cooperates with corresponding structure of the frame. Occasionally, the wheel assemblies require servicing such as the changing of a tire or the like. It is readily appreciated that replacing a bicycle tire requires disengaging at least one side of the wheel assembly from the adjacent frame of the bicycle and removing the tire or wheel, with or without the axle, from the dropouts associated with securing the wheel assembly to the bicycle frame. Commonly, do in part to the awkwardness of manipulating a bicycle by a wheel, it is often more convenient to remove the wheel assembly entirely from the bicycle to perform such service. It is also readily appreciated that such service or repair activities are often presented at the most inopportune times and places. That is, when ride performance is being monitored or inclement weather arises, the need for quick wheel repair can affect performance and/or ride enjoyment.
Others, having recognized the desire to quickly and efficiently remove, repair, and reinstall a bicycle wheel, have provided a litany of wheel retention systems intended to simplify the process of removing and reinstalling a bicycle wheel. An early solution to this problem was the introduction of slotted fork dropouts. The slotted dropouts cooperate with an axle or skewer rod of the wheel assembly such that loosening a retention system allows removal of the axle/wheel assembly from the bicycle without fully separating or disassembling the respective components of the wheel assembly. Although such systems enhanced the ease with which the wheel assembly could be removed from the bicycle, such systems also commonly require prior knowledge as to the operation and order of assembly of the wheel retention assembly so as to ensure proper desired orientation of the wheel release system relative to the bicycle after performance of the respective service activities.
Many bicycle wheel quick release assemblies include a handle that is connected to an axle or skewer that passes through the wheel assembly and engages the dropouts associated with the opposite sides of the same. Commonly, a cam or eccentric pivot is provided that, when manipulated by rotation of the handle, provides sufficient tension to maintain the operative interaction between the opposite ends of the axle or skewer assembly and the respective dropout and the interaction with the respective dropout and the wheel assembly. Said in another way, rotation of the handle in an “open” direction provides sufficient loosening of the wheel assembly to facilitate removal of the wheel and quick release assembly from the bicycle. Such systems commonly include a “clocking” mechanism that allows the handle to be oriented in a desired position relative to the underlying bicycle when the quick release assembly is secured thereto. As the handle commonly includes the cam or biasing assembly that tensions the axle, the clocking mechanisms and/or corresponding clocking structures are commonly provided at the fixed or non-operating ends of the skewer or axle and quick release assembly.
Commonly, the non-operating side quick release assembly clocking mechanism includes a nut that adjustably cooperates with the axle or skewer to define a repeatable closure pressure when the handle of the quick release assembly is closed. The nut in such configurations is commonly configured to cooperate with a nonsymmetrical recess formed proximate the dropout and/or with supplemental structures that provide a redundant securing means and/or are positionally fixed so to not interfere with the rotational engagement of the axle as the axle is threadably engaged therewith. Such configurations introduce additional small parts to the axle/skewer and quick release assembly and commonly require specialized tools to effectuate the desired orientation of the handle of the quick release assembly while also providing the desired closure pressure of the same.
Still others provide axle assemblies that include one or more threaded ends that threadably cooperate with the underlying bicycle assembly and/or the alternate end structures of the quick release assembly. It is appreciated that the threading of one or more ends of the axle or skewer; the threading of the bicycle structures, such as the dropouts; and/or the threading of corresponding structures of the quick release assembly must be properly aligned or indexed relative to one another to ensure that the handle of the quick release assembly attains a desired orientation when fully assembled with the bicycle. It is further appreciated that clocking the quick release handle in such a manner substantially limits the adjustability of the clocking of the handle. Commonly, such systems only provide one clocking position when the quick release assembly is engaged with the underlying bicycle. Although the pitch and thread-count of such thread-able interactions can be manipulated to alter the clocking position, such manipulations commonly prove impractical, are susceptible to degradation associated with repeatable engagement and disengagement of the wheel assembly, and can substantially increase the costs associated with machining and/or tooling the various threadable interactions.
Accordingly, there is a need for a bicycle wheel quick release assembly having a handle that can be oriented in various clocking positions relative to an underlying bicycle and/or bicycle wheel assembly and does so without effecting the repeatable operation of the quick release assembly to secure a bicycle wheel to a bicycle.